Responsive Grants

The CareSource Foundation funds Responsive Grants in the following priority areas:

  • Children's Health (Ohio and Michigan)
    • Critical health trends
    • Children in poverty
    • Access to care
  • Crisis Support for Women & Children (Ohio)
    • Domestic violence
    • Child abuse
    • Homelessness
  • Special Needs Populations (Ohio)
    • Elderly
    • Physical disabilities

Grant guidelines

  • Proposing organizations must be IRS-qualified 501(c)3 non-profit organizations.
  • Grant applications are reviewed four times/year.
  • Organizations will only be giving funding once in a given calendar year.
  • Organizations may not apply for grants in consecutive years. At least one year must lapse between the end of the grant before organizations may apply for additional funding. (i.e. a grantee in 2009 will not be eligible to reapply for funding until 2011).
  • Single-year funding only.
  • All successful grantees will agree to a formal year-end evaluation process.
  • Preference will be given to those applicants working with populations parallel to the CareSource consumer population (demographics of Medicaid-eligible individuals).
  • Preference will be given to those applicants that best fit within the Foundation focus areas.
  • MICHIGAN ONLY: To be eligible, proposals from Michigan must be from counties that make up the CareSource service area. Those eligible counties are: Alcona, Allegan, Alpena, Antrim, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Genesee, Gladwin, Grand Traverse, Hillsdale, Iosco, Kalamazoo, Kent, Leelanau, Mason, Mecosta, Monroe, Montmorency, Muskegon, Newaygo, Ogemaw, Otsego, Ottawa, Presque Isle, St. Joseph, Van Buren.

Grant restrictions

As a result of policy, law or funding restrictions, The CareSource Foundation will generally not fund:

  • Organizations without 501(c)3 IRS tax exemption status
  • Individual primary or secondary schools
  • Sectarian organizations having a predominantly religious purpose
  • Political parties, offices or individual candidates
  • Fundraising events or benefits
  • Individuals
  • Majority capital campaigns
  • Fraternal or veteran organizations
  • Scholarships or educational fees
  • Organizations who cannot provide adequate accounting records or procedures
  • Tax-supported colleges and universities for operating purposes
  • Funding for deficits or debt retirement

To apply for a grant

  • Review the mission of the Foundation and the priority funding focus areas.
  • If you believe your organization and/or program is a good fit, please contact:
    Cathy Ponitz, Executive Director of the CareSource Foundation
    Email: cathy.ponitz@caresource.com
    Phone: 937-531-2808
  • Upon successful review, you will be invited to apply and receive a copy of the CareSource Foundation proposal via email.
  • All proposals must be submitted electronically. Paper requests are not accepted.
  • Proposals must be submitted in Word format exactly as outlined in the proposal template.
  • Financial attachments must be attached to submission and may be in Word, Access, Excel or PDF format.

2010 quarterly grant deadlines

  • Q1 - January 26
  • Q2 - April 20
  • Q3 - July 20
  • Q4 - October 19

2010 grant award dates

  • Q1 - February 25
  • Q2 - May 27
  • Q3 - August 26
  • Q4 - November 30